It’s time to place Kentucky Derby bets
Once every 12 months, lots of folks clear across the continent – for at least three or four minutes – place the mouse upon its pad or give their texting finger a time-out to join several million men and women and boys and girls to watch a horse race.
It’s not just a run-of-themill horse race but the one with glamour, with pomp and circumstance, with ladies in attendance wearing hypnotic, traffic-stopping, one-of-a-kind hats. This is the one known as “The Run for The Roses.” This is the Kentucky Derby, the 139th running of the fabled race.
People who don’t know the difference between a gelding and the starter’s gate suddenly become unbridled race fans on this one day: The first Saturday in May. On Saturday, May 4 thousands of New Mexicans will stuff themselves into any one of New Mexico’s five racetracks and one race book, to watch and wager on the mile-and-a-quarter run to glory.
The Downs at Albuquerque starts the party today with the showing and betting on The Kentucky Oaks, the three-year-old fillies version of the Derby. Patrons can make early-bird bets beginning at 8:30 this morning on both the Oaks and The Derby.
Also on Saturday, morning mutual windows open at 8:30, and betting wizards will have more ways to maneuver their bank rolls than there is to comb their hair: exactas, trifectas, a pick 6, daily double, along with 50 cent pick 3’s, 4’s and 5’s. It’s enough action to calm the betting fever of the most ardent rail bird.
For food, The Downs has set up a pretty good sized tent on the apron between the track and the grandstand. Seating inside the tent is free, first-come, first-served. There are three big monitors inside the tent along with a mutual window. North and south of the tent are food stops with lots of choices — Garcia’s Kitchen, Charles’ BBQ, Conchitas — at one end. Cold Stone Creamery, ABQ Torpedo Dog, Gauchito Grill, Hawaiian Shaved Ice and Ahhromas Wood Fire Pizza at the other end.
Within the grandstand, the third-floor Jockey Club will be open at 8 a.m. Saturday with breakfast being served, and lunch offered later in the morning. Admission to the Jockey Club is $10 and reservations are in order — the room will be sold out. Call Becky to get a table. Her number is 266-5555, ext. 3225.
The Downs casino gets into the Derby Day frenzy, too. Race fans who have losing derby race tickets can bring them to the casino and enter them into drawings for $100 cash.
BUFFALO THUNDER: Up in Pojoaque-ville at Buffalo Thunder, which houses, by-the-way, the only casino race book in the state, there’s to be a two-day derby party as well.
Today, celebrating the 1⅛- mile Kentucky Oaks, betting on that “Run for the Lilies” begins at 9 a.m. in the plush and very comfortable Thunder Race Book. Earlybird bets on the derby will be available, as will the entire Derby Day card from Churchill Downs.
On Saturday, derby betting starts at 9 a.m., in the race book. And for nonsmoking comfort, Thunder’s Warehouse nightclub will open at 11 a.m. where Derby Day betting will be offered.
There will be food and drink specials, as well as a creative Kentucky Derby hat contest at 3 p.m. Saturday.
Thunder’s Race Book also has scheduled special drawings for gifts and prizes, one at 5 p.m. today and another at 4 p.m. tomorrow.
SANDIA RESORT & CASINO: The month of May is a very large month for Sandia. It is the 12th anniversary month of the opening of the resort hotel and casino.
Now, as anyone who’s lived for a week or two in this part of the Rockies knows, any month is a big month for Sandia and its over-the-top promotions. But a birthday month is special, and Sandia is going all out to make this month exceptional. First off, it’s shelling out $500,000 in cash and free play. Second, it is giving away five fancy cars, one car each Friday evening between 8 and 9.
All Sandia visitors have do is play the slots with their player’s card in the machine and hope to be called. It could happen.